The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manipulating garment hangers and analogous articles wherein a substantially hook-shaped portion can straddle a bar or a like carrier to maintain the article in suspended position. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for gathering garment hangers and analogous articles into groups of predetermined numbers of articles on trolleys or other types of conveyances.
Garment hangers are used in large numbers in garment manufacturing and cleaning plants for direct transport of jackets, shirts, blouses, coats, skirts, slacks and/or other articles of apparel. Apparatus for transporting garment hangers in such establishments normally employ chain conveyors, feed screws, sloping rails and so-called trolleys. A trolley includes a U-shaped body with a web in the form of an elongated carrier for hangers and two upwardly extending legs at the ends of the carrier. The upper end portions of the legs carry rollers which track a rail to ensure that the trolleys will advance along a predetermined path. In accordance with the presently prevailing practice, hangers are transferred onto the carriers of successive trolleys by hand. Such manual transfer of hangers is a tiresome and time-consuming operation, especially if the hangers carry bulky coats or other heavy garments. Moreover, the attendants must be careful to ensure that the carrier of each trolley will receive a predetermined number of hangers.
The manner in which hangers for garments can be transferred from a carrier is disclosed, for example, in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 1 942 434 of Klein. The carriers which are disclosed in this publication slope downwardly to ensure that rollers at the upper ends of garment hangers can advance toward the lower ends of the carriers under the action of gravity.